1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to matching vendors with consumers, and, more particularly, to computer implemented and/or assisted systems for matching vendors with consumers using networked media, such as the Internet, cellular phone or messaging networks, POTS telephone networks, cable TV networks, and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Various methods have been employed for matching vendors that supply goods and/or services with consumers who seek them. One method is the familiar “yellow pages,” which provides paper listings of vendors along with descriptions of goods and/or services that the vendors provide. Vendors generally pay for their listings, often based upon the amount of page space their listings occupy.
With the expansion of the Internet, various versions of “yellow pages” have been made available as online directories. Prospective consumers can access these directories, search or browse their listings, and attempt to identify vendors that meet their needs. Vendors generally pay for their listings with these directories, as well.
Referral services are yet another way of matching vendors with consumers. Referral services generally maintain a pool of vendors that they refer out to prospective consumers whose needs match the goods and/or services that the vendors provide. Payment arrangements are varied. Sometimes the vendors pay; sometimes the consumers pay. Just as various yellow pages have been made available online, so have referral services.
We have recognized that a need exists between online directories and online referral services. Although the directories provide a very broad scope of content, their listings are often sparse for the particular category of goods and/or services or the geographical area that is relevant to the consumer. By contrast, referral services tend to be relatively narrow in scope. They tend to focus on specific markets or categories of consumer need and therefore are not generally useful to consumers on a regular and repeating basis. Consumers may turn to a particular online referral service for a plumber, for instance, but generally not for both a plumber and an optometrist.
What is desired, therefore, is a service that combines the breadth of a directory with the specificity and consumer relevance of a referral service. It is also desired that such a service have an appealing fee structure.